All eyes are on Catalonia today as voters go to the polls in a snap election called by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy using emergency powers under article 155 of the Spanish Constitution after the regional parliament passed a unilateral declaration of independence in late October.

Results are expected to be very close, with polls suggesting the pro-independence Catalan Republican Left (ERC) and the anti-independence Ciudadanos are likely to be the most-voted parties.